the how of believing

​​Perhaps the most important thing for us to understand about believing is that it is a reaction, not an action, as is normally supposed. We have too often tried to imitate the power associated with believing, thinking that somehow by our own thoughts or words we could cause things to happen. We have then attributed our failure to believe to our so-called negative believing and so then attempted to believe positive for our health and wealth. Howbeit, frustration and discontent is usually the fruit of our labor.

Logically, in order for us to believe, we must first have something to believe. Then we react by either believing or not believing. Here is a simple illustration:

Suppose I told you a piano was falling out of the sky straight for your head. If you believed me, your corresponding reaction to my words would be to move. If the piano missed you, you would receive the benefit of believing my warning. On the other hand let's say I told you a piano was falling straight for your head but you did not believe me. In this case you would react by not moving. If I were indeed right and it did land on your head, that would be your consequence for not believing what I had told you.

This all seems simple enough and yet we find many who think that if they just don't believe the piano is going to hit them, it won't. Or they think that maybe they can just believe the piano will land on my head instead! We hear them saying things like, "I'm believing for this or for that". I respond by asking, "Who or what are you believing?" It is extremely important to understand that before you can believe you must first have something to believe.

Let's take the example where someone tells us that they are believing for a new car. So we ask them, "Who or what are you believing? Did someone tell you that you were going to get a new car?" And they respond by declaring, "No, I'm just believing for it". Then they go to verses like 3 JOHN 2, and exclaim with some sense of assurance; "See, GOD wants me to prosper. Having a new car is definitely prospering so I'm believing for a new car. I've already picked it out. Got the picture on my refrigerator cause that helps. Believing images, you know". They think that everything in life is theirs if they will just think about it long enough, hard enough or often enough.

Although they may come up with portions of scripture that seem to support this concept, it's not only non-scriptural, but in truth entirely unscriptural! We cannot believe until we first have something to believe! That simple formula for believing is patterned throughout the Bible, as well as all of life. It's really the only sensible formula that can work. The idea that we grow to some point or place where we can make things happen or not happen by our thoughts is no more than wishful imagination. Positive and negative believing is a fantastic lie which has been successfully peddled upon an unsuspecting audience.

The simple reason Christians don't get results from their so-called believing is because they never had anything to believe in the first place. They pull scripture out of context and claim such and such is the will of GOD for their lives and all that they have to do to get it is believe. As they haven't yet got it, they think they must not be believing, so they go to the ends of the earth to be able to develop some mystical power called Believing. They change what they eat, what they say, what they think, where they live. They don't realize that the problem doesn't lie in their believing but in that they don't understand the How of believing.

Pick almost any incident of believing in the Bible and you will see simple obedience to GOD's promise or command. They are not in some weird state of meditation, thinking to cause something to happen. They are simply believing by obeying GOD's instructions. Sure, along with the record we may find them in other activities, like Elisha pacing the floor in 2 KINGS 4:35. But before we conjure up some fable that they were focusing their mental powers or such, we had better be able to document it, not between the lines, but rather word for word from the Bible. But neither they nor we can! Believe me, I've tried!

Let's consider and ponder the popular record in MARK 3, where Yeshua is healing the man with the withered hand? Is there any indication that this man who was in need of healing had been holdingmental imagesof being healed in his mind? None! Does our Lord tell him to focuson the thing desired? Nothing like it! Did Yeshua tell this man to just believe the wordand he would be healed? No, our Lord simply and specifically gives this man GOD's will in the situation, "stretch forth thine hand"! This man will now react by believing what Yeshua told him and stretch it forth, or not believe and remain a cripple. The simple key once again is that he had something to believe.

As we look at ACTS 3 we find a cripple who had been setting at the temple gate evidently for many years hoping to receive something from those entering and exiting.

ACTS 3:2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

Why had he not been healed all those years? We can't know for sure, but today, this day, a door was going to open for him and he was going to get up and walk through it.

ACTS 3:3-8 …[the lame man] seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

And he took him by the right hand, and lifted himup: and immediately his feet and anklebones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

He praised GOD! He was on that side of the door, the faith side; the side wherein is deliverance, the side from which there is peace, the side from which true praise is given!

ACTS 3:9-10 And all the people saw him walking and praising God: and they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the onlookers wanted the details of precisely what was said, thinking that the exact words of Peter must carry some special power. Perhaps it was in the way Peter held out his hand that healed this man? Was his palm up to GOD or down on Satan? Silly questions all of them, and yet not so unlike the ones we so often hear from wouldbe believers today. But to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, a further lesson is here being taught.

ACTS 3:11-13, 16 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.

And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? Or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham . . .hath made this man strong…

And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

"The GOD of Abraham!" He wasn't healed because Peter or John were so spiritual or tappedin. All this cripple needed was a specific promise from GOD so that he could have something to believe. He got it from the apostle Peter, "rise up and walk!" In order to believe we must first have something to believe.

One of the greatest records of believing which we have is that of Moses parting the Red Sea. Remember, GOD's will is always good, and acceptable, and perfect, but oftentimes it's only acceptable to those who walk by faith. When GOD told Moses where to lead the children of Israel, only faith would hear it! With a wilderness on one side, a wall of cliffs on another, Pharaoh bearing down on another, and the Red Sea on the fourth, this place would surely be their doom. But when the LORD directs, HIS purposes are always perfect!

EXODUS 14:1-4 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.

For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They areentangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host that the Egyptians may know that I amthe LORD. And they did so.

"And they did so!" Moses, Pharaoh, the children of Israel and the Egyptians, all did as the LORD had spoken. Some may have thought they were working out their own will, but the LORD was working out HIS, "according to HIS OWN purpose"!

EXODUS 14:10-12 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.

And they said unto Moses, Because there wereno graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Isnot this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had beenbetter for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

Not much faith here! They were blown about like autumn leaves. Only one thing could surely be said of those Israelites, they understood not the will of the LORD. But Moses did, and Moses believed!

EXODUS 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

"Fear not!" Let's not be captivated by the cloud of fear that sometimes descends upon us. It was once proclaimed that "We have nothing to fear but fear itself". Many times we just have to steel our minds and then wait for GOD's timing by standing stillin GOD's will.

ISAIAH 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew theirstrength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; andthey shall walk, and not faint.

It's impossible to wait on the Lord when we're running from (or to) the world. However, if we "wait on the LORD", only then we will see the "salvation of the LORD"!

EXODUS 14:15-16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: but lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry groundthrough the midst of the sea.

Only now did Moses have something to believe! He could have stood over that sea for a thousand years and it never would have parted, regardless of how he pictured it, thought about it, or spoke to it. There is no power in the mind, only in the word of GOD. But finally Moses had heard it, and now he could believe it. GOD did not tell him to stay his mind, or thinkpositive, but simply "stretch out thine hand" and divide it.

EXODUS 14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go backby a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters werea wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

Sometimes GOD can be pretty dramatic. We would do well to remember GOD as the Creator of all. What kind of an imagination does it take to make a beautiful sunset? How about making an eagle to soar above the clouds; or what kind of mind does GOD have in order to make an infant laugh as it does; or a kitten play? Look around you and you will see a Creator with incomprehensible abilities. Look into the Bible and you will begin to understand HIM.

So Moses believed GOD and all Israel was saved. Howbeit, HE had made no such promise unto Pharaoh. HE never told Pharaoh to go across like HE had told Moses. That didn't stop this mighty Pharaoh though. He had great confidence, he was totally committed to his cause. He no doubt thought he could accomplish anything if he just put his mind to it.

EXODUS 14:23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, evenall Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

Unfortunately for Pharaoh he didn't have GOD's promise; consequently he was walking by his senses when he commanded his armies to cross the Red Sea after the Israelites. The result was fatal to him and his men. We should never take the will of GOD for another person, and assume that it's the will of GOD for us. Instead, "wait for the promise of the Father".

EXODUS 14:30-31; 15:1 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore. And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses…Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

There is an important truth within this record. Following all of the doubt and unbelief which the Israelites had demonstrated, now it says that they believed the LORD. After repeatedly being exposed to GOD's deliverance, they finally began to believe. This is always the end which our Creator has in store. HIS end is not our particular healing or deliverance. Those are only means by which we are able to become believers. All of life is for the purpose of teaching us to trust HIM. We are continually being groomed for our responsibilities in the next life, in the kingdom of heaven. But in order for one to become a believer, he must first learn how to believe.

GOD is able to create a multitude circumstances and situations in each of our lives so as to bring us to the point of being believers. GOD would have us on the faith side of the sea, the side where there is peace, joy and fulfillment. Sometimes it may appear to the senses that we are in the most frustrating and hopeless situation, as were the entangled children of Israel. However, the will of GOD is good and acceptable and perfect. As we learn to walk by faith and not by sight, GOD's goodness will come to pass in our lives (ROMANS 8:28).

RSV HEBREWS 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

This passage explains it entirely. First, if we are to please our Creator then we must develop faith in our lives. But before we can do that, we must recognize that GOD exists. We must see in HIS creation what HE is all about. If we don't see HIS hand behind the world in which we live, then we are hopelessly lost in our efforts to believe HE is at work within our lives. Next we must also acknowledge that HE rewards those who seek to be believers. It is really an easy task we have. Easy if we are willing to recognize the obvious, that GOD is alive and well on planet Earth.

The word faith in the above passage is translated from the Greek word pistis, which is used over 240 times in the Christian scriptures (the New Testament). It is akin to the Greek word pisteuo that is used over 260 times in the Christian scriptures, but which is usually translated believe. Pistis is the noun while the verb is pisteuo. Pisteuois the act while pistis is the fruit (GALATIANS 5:22). Thus, whenever we read of someone in the Bible having faith (pistis), we know that they had developed this fruit in their lives. They had become a believer by believing.

HEBREWS 11 gives us record after record where men, women, and nations believed according to that which was spoken. How wonderfully already in the first verse, GOD is spelling out the essence of faith.

HEBREWS 11:1 Now faith [pistis] is the substance [foundation] of things hoped for [elpizo], the evidence [clear proof] of things not seen.

The difference between faith and hope, pistis and elpizo, is important. Faith is the fruit of believing or trusting GOD, while hope is the patient waiting for that which has been promised. Faith is not magical not supernatural. It is the natural outgrowth of continually believing GOD. We may have faith in our brakes to stop our car, but only because we have applied them in many situations where they have never failed us.

We may hope for many things, but what foundation do we have for these hopes? The foundation for Abram's hope was "according to that which was spoken" by GOD (ROMANS 4:18). He hoped for what GOD had promised him. And what was the hope of these believers listed in HEBREWS 11? It was the resurrection. It was life beyond the grave. The chapter is permeated with talk of death and resurrection. This is what they lives for.

What is our hope? When someone tells us that happiness and fulfillment come with winning the lottery, do we react by buying his ticket and hopeto win? When another tells us that if we want the good life, all we need to do is believe in ourselves, do we? What does that even mean? How can we believe in ourselves? Are not each of us destined to be dust in the wind, a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away (JAMES 4:14)?

We would be on much surer ground if we sought that kingdom of GOD which awaits for us beyond the grave. If we focused on that which is eternal, if we went where the Lord directed and believed in Him, not in ourselves, we might just discover the very purpose for our lives. Let us find that word of GOD, and then obey that which we have found. That is the How of believing.​